Grandma Dottie’s Bean Soup

If anyone every says soup isn’t a meal, send Grandma Dottie's love.

My dad’s mom, Dorothy, went by Grandma Dottie thanks to one of my cousin’s failed attempts to say her name. She made this soup for my dad and his brother growing up, and passed the recipe onto my mom who would make it for us.

Beware: this soup teaches you that it’s possible to burn soup! I did not know that was a thing and we teased my mom mercilessly when she burnt a big batch. Jokes on me when I made the same mistake a few years ago. So make sure to stir often and scrape up the bottom!

Thanks Grandma Dottie for passing down this family recipe! Like many Jewish recipes, this one is made to feed a family of 6 and then some. I usually freeze half of it and this soup holds up really well.

*yields 6-8 servings

Ingredients

  • 1 lb chicken breasts

  • 0.5 lb beef chuck bones or short ribs

  • 5-6 carrots

  • 2-3 stalks of celery

  • 2 medium onions

  • 1.5 cups barley

  • 1.5 cups lima beans

  • 1.5 cups dried peas

  • 1 small can tomato soup

Directions

  1. Bring pot to boil: Put chicken and beef in a large pot and fill 3/4 with water. Turn on medium high heat and bring to boil.

  2. Chop veggies: While waiting for pot to boil, chop carrots, onions, and celery.

  3. Skim fat: Just before boil, skim off the top layer of fat that rises and discard (I use an old aluminum can to store soup fat in the freezer).

  4. Cook soup: Add beans to pot. Add salt and pepper to taste. Cover and simmer for 1 hour. Add tomato soup and stir. Cover and simmer for another 2 hours. Stir occasionally.

  5. Finish soup: Remove chicken and meat bones and place on cutting board to cool. If soup is too thick, add water to loosen. Shred up the meat and return to soup. Let simmer for another 30 minutes.

Fun family fact: My dad hates peas. Refuses to eat anything with peas. Will send back a restaurant meal that has peas. Gives up on fried rice with peas. But he has no idea his mom’s soup (which he loves!) has dried peas in it. My mom and I discovered this when we went to the store together to make this the first time. He has no idea to this day. We'll find out if he's reading my blog :)
Previous
Previous

Slow-Cooker Split Pea Soup with Ham

Next
Next

Instant Pot Sausage & Lentil Soup